The Letter of Holy Sunday

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ARTICLE III.

THE LETTER OF HOLY SUNDAY

Syriac Text and Translation.

By Professor ISAAC H. HALL,

OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK CITY.

Presented to the Society October 30th, 1889.

In June, 1889, I received from Urmi a manuscript, copied
in 1885 from a much older one that was not to be obtained, in
which are written the following compositions :

1. The narrative of Moses, Approved in Prophecy ;

2. The letter of Holy Sunday, that descended from Heaven
upon the hands of Athanasius, Patriarch of Pome ;

3. The Martyrdom of Giwargis (i. e. George) ;

4. The narrative of Ars&nis (Arsenius), King of Egypt ;

5. Sundry Church Services, Prayers, Rules of Magic, etc.
The manuscript (copy) consists of sixty-two pages of fair

Nestorian script, the written page about 7-|-X5£ inches in
dimension, with eighteen lines to the page. There are many
slips of the scribe, and no little false pointing ; but it is not a
bad modern copy.

The second of the above compositions is a different recension
of the tale which I communicated to the Society in Vol. XIII.
of the Journal, pages 34-18, under the title of " The Extremity
of the Romans." The differences are so great that I have
deemed this form of the tale worth publishing on that account,
as well as by reason of its own interest, and the light and cor-
rection it furnishes for the understanding of the text of the
former one.

The composition occupies about eleven pages of the manu-
script. I have retained the (indifferent) interpunction of the
text, adding nothing of my own, but generally omitting the
pointing of the letters, as unnecessary. Abbreviations in the
manuscript are marked by a sign like our colon, at the end of
the abbreviated word, and sometimes in the midst of an abbre-

vol. xv. 16

122 /. H. Hall,

viated suffix-pronoun. Such words I have retained as they
were written, since no cases occur where the reader will be
easily misled.

For other matters respecting this story, see the previous
communication, " The Extremity of the Romans," above men-
tioned, and also the notes at the end hereof.

The following is the Syriac text :

[•U-r° ^^ r"? ' z «"\']

| .-, a «^ ... |Zf«J wSft oSn\ . 1 i| 4 Si ) u» *Vi "\a_»_i ^j V; ai\» ■• "Vi.
. )ioo<ni> |^j~.j_$*s . m«m1Z) ^.jio ^J\ Sy\ ) »Vi>. _ Vi Zb^ly ■:■ j-*~t-|-o

^s qgo^lrn-iV? )V«1Vi\ - » 1 k, ^ t \- ih]e |(_io ■ a V & — 1 — . *.-. o

) •* i" "" . ) 1 *Vi,aVio 1 » '-' t e »1 1 u\q ^Vijo'o «*») -. ) m « * Sn s ■ilSnVai^oo

}, . «v,-SVi . l—i.?]? ai »iom\ ai «qim — V; ]•, ..j ». •. jJU_Juo-jja? ai \ a
».Sn >Q—i. «_^aj3 J^s • JJLia-Z >ai» J-^W '*- 1-r .o : ) Y .. 1, V o

TRANSLATION.

[Relying] on the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, we begin
to write The Letter of Holy Sunday, that descended from
heaven upon the hands of Mar Athanasius, patriarch of the city
Rome ; which is the Third Letter. Our Lord, aid me in thy
mercies. Amen.

In the year one thousand one hundred and forty years accord-
ing to the numbering of Alexander, son of Philip the Macedonian
(i. e. A/D. 829).

First, we make known to you, beloved in God and faithful in
Christ, brethren and friends and kinsmen, priests and deacons,
and the whole congregation of true Christians from one end of
earth to the other (lit., from extremities to extremities of the
earth), of the west and of the east, and children of the north with

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 123

nSViA Q \°^°i • ^'^iiln • )&j\Jo| •. IZ^-kLs |, n_ Sj ■ ^- -)

|^*i,e? . I'k ' t, n i'^Jo jViunN >N So : v o_j] .o, nMo <5>rJJ? Mr 00 - 90
. l?oi |Zj^Lo v^uiJ) j SnSi ^Ofa^Zo ^oj-{J ji J •. jouk. ^oeu^i.
. m.mizj .iSna»o . » m*Snq1 jmox; | i. t 1 ^ -.|ai_JK <-" Zm£_»,1j

^ioo : ^as) (aiX ,-io . lZ nn > j o . ^ aiSaS j\i\o •:• Jioooiw ■ tni^jjj

^■ifflS^ : JniiSiq jj= wtfo?,tm-iV? : V»?]o ^.\>Zo ■ °\ 2JUls

c»n\o°to aooj_^sj IL1-.01 _^o •. » SsS )»oi i-^t-vj Z2^J . m.i«-. >^_o$|c

1 * V * n lfi°o : l^nfiwq) jjai*?Z '. ]la*3Lfi oooi ■* .1- ,_» -. }..vV ».

oooi ^oji) jlajtrvr; . <-^Z oooi A..]* |l^-tf ? . j^oi. _ie j^uo •. |X*^>o*^so

the south, those of every state with those of every degree, both
lovers of God and beloved for God's sake, spouses of the heavenly
bridegroom, those that are in the one gospel net — beloved, listen
and hear, that I may make known to you this Letter that
descended from heaven to men because of the laws and command-
ments, in order that they might keep and do them, and on
account of the threatenings and heavy stripes that God will bring
upon them if they keep not and do everything that is written in
this Letter ; which was sent from God to the church of Constan-
tinople in the days of Athanasius, patriarch of Rome. Peace be
with you, and favor, from God our Father and from our Lord
Jesus Christ.

In the year one thousand and ninety-four of Alexander, son of
Philip, on the twenty-fourth of Nisan (i. e. 24 April, A. D. 783),
this Letter descended, above the temple of the Apostles Peter
and Paul, when there were assembled in the temple twelve
bishops and a hundred priests and deacons, beside the many peo-
ple that were there in the temple, who were twenty-three thou-
sand in number, men old and young, and children and maidens ;

124 1. H. Hall,

V?ot-4° . 1vi.\\o \sa j ,* ivi^ : i^i'A IzOi^o i^iims )i tiVt->

fSm . )ZaLs ]olX. — &e -tlso _ t\ ■ Sno : ooai — iVii n ,-s |2u^oi.so
. nZas] >coA.ie _io Zooi jJ? ]ZiaiojZ Zomo . )«W jocio jVtVul
]jj»o •. j«Vt*\ saoto 1 >\ jlZo fS^. i tttiffl'IZ) ^jio .tlsa4> j,,Vi\Z uiaJo

jiojo . » m.frnzj] pjso -tH°° "• Ua-ct^ ^<n?o ]j»»o •. | t iS ^ | ft , i \nj
alii, fioio . ) «Vi»\ lij) £^fi J-k^Z? |Z| -. |Ziaio?Z t*p»o wcas *>jJ*D
. .nwSno : l >|« » <nX iM'Vio i^»j }Jls»clo ^£>i-oAi*5 i-^°t-° 1°-° ^H 2

. )j=j^.j_{lS > w.tfflZ] >sl. jZ^ <mXa S»asJo 2w- ^j-oZ]? »&£> .-ico

-. [■'■"' . V°iV ),\-i>. It a Via Vie JJols . J£) jia^ a h±=Z\o : \b^+ r t>
V v_»J] -_«lS {]) ).V,\ : ^oai&l t"i : t-'j-J t2 > m «m1Zlo . il^o^o _^o j^-W

as they were standing and praying and making request from
God, the daytime changed and became night, and a wonder came
to pass such as never was its like.

Then a disciple of the blessed Mar Athanasius went outside,
and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and he saw, not on earth nor in
heaven, this Letter, that was hanging above the temple, that was
written on a tablet of crystal. And he saw, and ran to the
temple, and saluted (lit., blessed) and did reverence to Athana-
sius, and said : My Lord, go out and see the wonder, the sign that
is hanging between earth and heaven. But he said to him : My
son, remain first, that the oblation may be offered which the
living and the dead are looking for and awaiting. And after it
was offered all the church poured forth and went out with Atha-
nasius the patriarch. And he decreed a curse, to the purport
that whosoever heard should not delay from coming to the holy
church.

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 125

^ou^. |J ? ,-^1 }Jj J PI .Uy^. Ul |3? |X4o»fr= ? -.l-iolieuoi Jia
. jSL^k ,—io |/iin oooi ^ o v » -i^ o ^.Vup f-so -.jZyi^ <-^J?
. ],-» j'''-' |^axi> ]o<no ) . W jooio j ViSn •} -^soi? ^i. : J^s fie

jia^o •. | iu ]j.^SVi ^aji^Zjo . Via*, j^aal < t n\ o ■. (.ioooij? jj^j.^»s
|Zaal4 ■ ^e : aiA.*.°i.lo • o*s?o . ai\«.i ^-.| > *lS*i . ]'">o*. t -fc-o o\ oiJ^a
•. ]ooi t --^ ooi aij.qSVi Jd,_so •. (j^i^us > tn ,. jn1 Z) >a_xe> . ]&^4u»o
^moVi? wii> uiXaeo *- lyoi l^WJ &-Jo Zj-*.o . »_*.jj3o . . » l\- ,^ « S\

And there were assembled much people, priests and deacons,
seven thousand men besides the former ones, and the patriarch
Athanasius among them ; until there remained no one of the
children of the faith of the Christians that did not come to the
church, except those women for whom it was not [proper] that
they should enter the church.

And as they were standing and weeping, and making supplica-
tion with weeping from God the Lord of all, because the daytime
had changed and become night, and when there had been dark-
ness one hour, and abundant tears had been shed, then was heard
a voice within the temple, such as there has not been its like ; and
the people that heard multiplied their sobbing tears of repentance
before God. Mar Athanasius, the patriarch of Rome, took the
lead,f and put on white garments, and clothed himself with a
white priestly robe, and all the people [put on] white garments,
every one according to his ability, and they also purified them-
selves from defilement and sin. And the patriarch Athanasius
stood and spread forth his priestly garment, in which he was
clad, in the sight of every one ; and this Letter separated and

* Perhaps to be emended to >a* , since the scribe may have repeated
inadvertently the word two places back.
f Perhaps "rose" is better, reading >oo for >o,-d .

126 I. H. Hall,

uoq-^.| aia^J w.9ioi^.j> : \ h ■( a 11,0 i * i, p oooi , iSn , s : ■'**"'')

-. jJiBQ-i oi:j£o>Zo oiZoZ] ?,_».? . ^>\%VnoZJ ,jio uoa*„J
. JJlsot ]?m 1^i>»| |ooi ^S&so
•. j r >. I^m] v oiN Zipis ^nAij . oiatXy ^^ (J? ) IVtj ■■ ),ViSS «o
— %ZiZo — «\-i)|o > q\, AJas : oi_s ]oai &-_•)? Jcj— io ^o^fQ^ jlo
j.Sa^o? ^i *Vimo : calk. Uac ]^H*1 ^'i — *- • i-'-Jojflio : flmaVj
^i;ii,\o |7o«T) ^ V io . v Ua'^.st i_»JLB ^an .1 1 nS ,- Vi ^aasoiZ
P Jo . ^asZfjasi )nm ,_*.» ) V i a . <o|_{Zo •. ]^a^.9 ,^ « NNViVi >

) - *■" -A.O ], Vino ) aa >o *jis'|o •■ | » » r ja^l ,n-u\S pi, *Sn ]oi <Of4-£

loosed itself and descended (or, moved and started and de-
scended) ; and he received it on his arms with prayers and with
tears and with sadness. And he read it and expounded it in the
sight of all the people, three times, while they were crying out,
Holy, Holy, Holy (that is, ayios, ayioi, ayioS), Our Lord have
mercy upon us ! who hath sent his signs and his wonders to-day.

And this Letter was written thus :

" Woe to the cursed people that knew not their God ; for I
wrote and sent to you the first letter — and ye did not anything that
was in it — in the year one thousand'and forty-two of Alexander
the Macedonian (i. e., A.D. 731) ; and I sent another in the year
one thousand and fifty (i. e., A.D. 739), that peradventure ye
might turn you from your hateful doings of your bodies, and
from whoredom, and [from] your tongues that speak falsehood,
and keep the day of Sunday that I commanded you. But if ye do
not keep [it], behold, I will send upon you hard times, and earth-
quakes,! and burning (or, fever), and the locust, and commotions,

* Probably an error for iiio'l ; very easy in Nestorian script.

f As the MS. reads, we should render ' filth ' instead of ' earthquakes.'
But I suppose that the U^s] of the MS. is a slip (very easy in Nestorian
script) for \i*o] -

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 127

ifM,] . jo^s j]> ]Zs_»Ji_J2 |Zo^>eo -.|jCLt«o )$o,j,o iL»lo . pZaioo
)]? >\}V> : yUynj J^-.,_D ^.ixi? i-ioa-i (OZj-JJ )1> . \flSn ^in«\S
jln\ ^o.SVi a.Z 13 Jo . |Zljw-.,-d )^t^ ,-io ^aaZnlnio&loe : ,asZn1Vi igi
■ inir |3 A_|j-iA_io . p»| ^Jas jjas J^s \4M ^^a^. ^aasoiZo : . Y\Vi;
J3> ^iiN pjfio] ^ooZo . J?t~»-? I Wot-* n,S a n? ?Zs _^o : ^ooi^aJia-oi
<cia^ ?££>] iQjzsaiZ jl J? . |qmZ ^s»-o j^'^s jia-? |Vi*n *jJ0 v&ieM
oasoi —.,.1010 : sk^s ]i,i] vt_s] J±£* JJLao-^ A-.&-.]? . . »a 1 <JZ*ocl* ^__ 1 |
),A,..^\o % ),1-ifflVl\o |&\Vv>13 ^_? v oA_j] . U^OfJi )^^oj^. l»iri»
Lsat* i-J^a^. joio . ) Sn to ^001 «\\ ^oA-.j^ai. Jlo . " Ai £ _^o ^o& • " •-•
jn^m«-«V. t «iai-io ■ 1} mVin .o nIVi j-.£*-to . ) a**^ *«(-tta jLmoioJ .oai^
_.j_J\J » YmnVil ^ooi S -io «-ioi_. Ii-c?] ]b j»n 1 n\ —tlrt&lo {uiusjie

and pestilences, and the small locust, and the creeping locust, and
darkness, and manifold plagues ; which without diminution I
will send upon you, because ye have not kept my holy day of
Sunday, because of your faithlessness and pour withdrawal from
the holy church. And if ye will not hear the voice of my words
and turn to me, I will wipe off all flesh from the earth ; and they
shall no more forsake their faith after that they have received
the knowledge of the truth.

"And moreover, I say to you that ye swear not at all by my
name, [nor] by my mighty arm ; for, if ye do not turn, I will do
to you like the days of Noah, when I brought the flood upon the
face of the whole earth. Then, indeed, men turned to the
former wickedness ; but ye thrust away the widows and the poor
and the wretched from your doors, and upon them shew no
mercy. Behold, also, to the Hebrews I gave a law, by the hands
of Moses ; and more than ye they pay tithes and give to the
poor, and to the strangers sprinkled among their congregations
they give alms, and they keep all my laws and my words,

128 I. H. Hall,

: OmL^^Z, |ioaJj> ]A_i^Z ^ii^o : |k*_.,j> )a->gViSSn ^. -> V SbSou.»
. ^o ft„ . SSn »- . . SsoN }lo : |)w. sjto 13o |';^"^ v oA__iom . ) * ..-»*<->
• ta*a^ ^"? |iir° <oai», }_Jl |ia- ,_-» j_».ai : ^oJUj^J .JU^enals. $o

^ * S >' to-*.* ^-io . in o n yj.; Jioa-. ^oj^Zo -.ll-imViN ]■£-*>>] ^ZZo
} /•,• .» } So .)&£->-•• ^ m . Ss pij^io |mo .• ) a » -il »>Z sv_)j lio»i.o I^aa.j
. ^iti. i jo, — o ^asZsaso ^ fi-i i in ^>d1o . j,A,m-i; it— a— a — b>_a]»

|^»c£s jZocu. ^ ni > NS j^A-l ^aoZo : ^o/ftSnlo ^nS.» j m a &j*«Zo

:,— t^l •. jZf^ v .», ^ *o |Zaix^5 ^WVV ; . v n-i"."*1> )_~1>Z ^»\n]>

,_io v osZ,jl£5 ^ » Sji : . Y\SnS v nSVi>.Z j] Jo . ^oaii Up*:) : . «Si)

[jft «Tn i » »2i; JjLioo . ]?i — as JLsls )Zoa_« ^n a »Ns i t *,) . >a ., s

although they have no superfluity. But ye have not kept my
words, ye to whom I gave holy baptism, and who know the
three Persons of the adorable Trinity. Ye have become trans-
gressors and not obedient, and neither to my words have ye
hearkened nor my commandments have ye kept. Now then I
swear to you by my mighty arm, if ye do not hear and turn your-
selves from your evil doings and from your hateful ways, and
give alms to the poor, and keep the day of Sunday from the ninth
hour of Saturday even till the dawn of Monday, behold also I
will send upon you savage wild beasts that will devour the flesh
of men, and will devour your sons and your daughters before
your eyes and beneath the soles of your feet, and they shall die.
And moreover, I will send upon you flying serpents, that will
devour the breasts of your women who speak falsehood and set
the church in commotion. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if also ye
will not hearken to these my words, which I commanded you for-
merly, I will Bend upon you serpents, I will bring down upon

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 129

,.j t.fca p*s?|o , »i fflSNo : <goJ .In mS-1^.0 . ^O3i^io)o ,0. a « ^-^

v oj-iZ |3 Jo -i-ir^ I 3 ••i«-^ ^> r^l? Joflo a_ioi ^ojio]^? ■ y, ., n

JJo . v aaX J_J] \±cm |si *. |2wSoi^) poo-iO ) n * a, i»> P * , ., o ) Sro ■

JJo : ,n i S {Jain tVi j]? . pJLoj ji ..Vno-s {] -. |av^. |Uol££

^oj_4Z J '. jUio^o ,aaX ,,OSVi\ &n* mZ|; Jo,_So cot ^iIVi p, nSV>

PrM v-so^lo . v aaA * 1 1 ^oi-ooCiio : ,oZUosi IZais.. poo,_£ P| ■ < iimoVil

p] *• |Aj^,_c )./,sS oif-.]? ) 1 n\n s —Is pioi_o )Tyi«ai^o v^aj : ^iiN

^JjLse ^&^2lS f—u ,__iA_Lj j,Sa\S-io '• ) 1st EVtSSi >*sia^^s]

ai -i »i n\ ^^.aisaJ . * 1] Jo . pUo ]j a M g ai.Vi.4. uOeiijo . flSnOo

^eri o . !\S ,ooO jjo . *»ai aXs ]osi_J ^.^j |Uei ". |2u«J3? >*ainSs » rmVo

you hailstones and overwhelming waters, and I will kill you, and
all your cattle, even to the twenty-fourth of the First Tishrln (i. e.
24th of October), that ye shall say : This is that which God
said to us ; we have not done [it].

"And if ye do not keep the holy day of Sunday and the day of
Friday, behold, I swear to you, both by the resurrection of the
dead and by the ministry of the angels (or, that No ! by the
resurrection of the dead, and No ! by the ministry of the angels),
that I will by no means deliver you, nor will I make to pass from
you anything whatsoever that I was minded formerly to do to
you. If ye will keep my laws, then be ye in fasting [and] prayer,
remembering your souls.

"And again I say to you that every believer, of the labor of
whose hand I give to the holy church, I will recompense him in
this world and in the world to come, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and
a hundredfold, and I will write his name in the book of life. But
if any one lendf to his neighbor and raise usury upon him, my

* Perhaps an error for -aiaJ .

1 1 correct wsjdqJ of the MS. to >-3-|aJ , which seems to be required. A
modern scribe might easily make the change, through unfamiliarity
with the (not infrequent) phrase. As the MS. is, it reads ' add ' instead
of ' lend :' ' If any one proceed to take usury from his neighbor,' etc.

vol. xv. 17

130 /. H. Hall,

-. |^?OJS LflOj j] fflLCUjJ! Jii. o] . BIJ^U. J^., )&£>) Olil. Zu] Jo '. ) , Vl -«

^-j1 Jo .^o^sj^Z P ^s- ? (fcisio J*& :oiioi. . Jii&io, Jie^ : ja_oo
)ln*in k, <n_^' jouiJ P . \aMSi x ••» }<^».«"< m ^«->.. , Vv. |»-A. • . v v>,
Jxjulo . Ijp. >oi» ^aoj»s> bis oooi \r\i~ifMf J_aj ^iea- o}*. •. )oi4j»>
. v o fl « « i t Sn > }limSnS )&s?1 oi_s oosio : ^»..V<. } ° -^ ■-» : a e> jj»o»

'. }irtj» |2wS'^Ar ^..31^3 ^^|i ■uOIOiOpOJ v*ov» j^-J I^OaT> >c,-o ) *-" •-•

| j_ ioj] ^us» |uiJ^o ■aoiaJsvaii, ojjijO . {^S ■ aja^o ovs A ll >\; )' -j^

,omiu ^>} i ia ; ^ « N i)o : f-«kL»? jViSs*^ lla-V ("■^ < - <pooi_J» j • "

h * Vi * Sn e : v o<ru«k-] pais }i?j» ) uSSn «^4io ^o_J) ^jjJ ^i^> 'H°'

^ aSSn k,Z {] Jo . jiwfc^o ]Z,_^» )_J — .? ,oals» ^»°i\Vo ili-i. v ., ,m\>

MoiVoso )&*>-! ]Zao^ee |Zorfie ^n-itNS if-jk,] : ^as^ Mr*)? >QyVi^

: jibio^; .oanXx; — «S^i1> |l »a to . ]fi « 1 m - " |A»Vo . |°^ ..»<•»

wrath shall be upon him, and mercy shall not be upon him. And
if he has a grudge against his fellow or against his neighbor, let
him not take the sacrament nor the oblation until he be reconciled
to him. Against my word ye shall not transgress. And if any
one lie in wait for (lit., watch silently against) his fellow on the
day of Sunday, he shall not have remission of sins.

" Observe the great day of Sunday ; in it (i. e., on that day) be
ye in love one with another, because the Holy Spirit broodeth
over you. And in it (i. e., on that day) give alms to the poor,
that ye may find mercy before my judgment seat, when before it
shall enter all the families of the earth to the judgment in which
there is no respect of persons. And do ye honor the priests of
God, who sacrifice the living Lamb, that mercy may be upon you
in the world to come. But those that despise them, my wrath
shall overtake them, because the priests are the salt of the earth,
and the ministers that do my will and teach you the judgments
of the holy church. But if ye will not hearken to whatever I

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 131

v n n » °i) _Lo . ) >Sn>.? oijoioJ >\n°>njo '. ] A ,^ » s v a.i, , \\ ?,-*.] >jsoZo
^alsZZo >. i SViS ,fililn IZo ^nSSci* J. Jo : ^mlV ulsj : <aslio ^soi]o
: -'-"] ^OfSi^ZQ : ^-.j t-*--r- c ) a * s i *»? fc° a i<S| \°ri^° • ^■^ a ^

■ Vi <aa-j__3 wS|cuk.io . ^fial »\i a ^ jsjo v na1 «, l . n L_p) ^aaii, Lo&si
<03Za^ vis) jj-sjo . \ia~i pSi*] ]±J>] oils Ji>.S . )°iS».«Sn . JJsiVclo
1 « * « no . pf4is Iy^-io ^n-nSV) Ji^ )2^_ .]o . ,ail,_lj jlnNas y|_s)o

: ^»j> ) tSn *■ _lo )2wa^ ^nnSnmjo r ooiis'|^
olSn ibi i io]» • ) ilaA. — Sr ^_ le&_*.] iio ]joi |Zj_„| iwjjsZlj Jisoo

■ | Vi»m*^ i-— 5 "(lii-.cn i\sn^) . ILd? cnia^o v aAsZZ jlo . nlVuoi j «1 11->
jJ»o]? j - ^a ^ ,-io < ^^i_4.| Jioo . oiZoa) j *1V1^ &i£ Jooi Jlj J^Joio

•:• . iVci\s\ ) n-itSn oijZj _2>e . J--i^o? mi-Q-J ^->;~>

say to you, I will send upon you chastisements and evil plagues
and divers diseases and plagues abundantly hateful, and ulcers
from which worms shall breed ; and again I will send upon you
evils, and I will obscure the light of the sun from your faces, and
I will turn away from you my face from you (sic). But if ye
will hear and be obedient to my .words, and turn yourselves to me,
and keep my holy day of Sunday, and do continually that which
I wrote to you, I will multiply your possessions, and will bless
your labor, and I will deliver your bodies from the divers diseases ;
upon all the earth I will work mercies, and I will turn my face
toward you, and I will bless the labor of your hands, and will bring
upon your seed the early and the latter (lit., heavy) rains in their
season, and will satisfy you with good things from my heaven."

And when this Letter had been read, a voice was heard from
heaven that said : Believe, ye sons of men, believe, and do not
doubt. And with the voice the temple was filled with sweet and
delightful odor, such as its like has not been among men ; and a
voice was heard from heaven that said : Blessed be the honor of
the Lord from his glorious place forever.

132 I. H. Hall,

■ oa i\n\ Zij~*<o : ]?oi 1-^wl? I^a' ' — °* — a * \« io ? >*ain\\? _-ou^Z;_.|-

■ «a>'SViN jL^Cfl. j^lsZo J^|Zo •. )aU^> — 1 1^ . \-i\o . l_J*?|? oi**a»

ai \ - >■ P . ?Z] > \io - .inline iX»»| v oA jjj (Jsoj _.» |_*,oto . 1 «Vi*

v oai 'itl-1 Po . ]b m*~i*V> ]^n ■& t\Z> ai\> .. Po ■ } -» *^o ^»a * - v jicj

wji-ifXi ^*^,_o . »S n> -. VspB? ^ootJL^jojs j]o . \aofst ,oouoi„o •. Jjsjiio)

) -V\i uoaiiaso uooj4lsj ^oaiZaX, )]o •. |j&X*4t )au J k. J-pa ■■* ■■ P

Po -. )^-irB •. ) m »S * >o | Vn1> ) Snn a -i ftNNv^ Jj»o5 vtsi jlo . {-»-»,-=

]ooi ] )1 . j *T.'T-i; jioos ,-ic )?tn |Zj~] A-a»,|Z) P? IjouaJ? -ogi VNSao

oiosZos . •a-=«?l^ A — j— io-^l? I— io P| Jjoi l^ij — J w^ v^ASiio" v^j)

•. |?oi I^i-a-1? oii-»,l ol!s» >\n *- Po "% Vi »• J^so : .gai 1 ?. n\ oiojfj^o

*»gia\S |ooO iJ-.? IZ-^a^o iy-ifii.0 jyVviSNo ]A1 .,SnN si^ i t >Vio

Now I, Athanasius, patriarch of great Rome, when I read and
heard these that are the words of our Lord, I wrote a copy of
this Letter, and sent it to all the ends of the earth, and to all the
corners of creation, that it might both go and reach even the
goings down of the sun. And now, then, I swear to you, brethren
and beloved, who are in every place, No ! by the strength of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and No ! by the strength of the adorable
Trinity, and No ! by the assemblies of angels and the troops of
cherubim, and No ! by the holies of seraphs, who cry Holy,
Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, and No ! by the prayers of the
holy apostles Peter and Paul, and No ! by that Spirit that spake
by the mouth of holy prophets and apostles, and No ! by the
crowns of martyrs — that this Letter was not composed out of the
mouth of men. Let there be no one to doubt respecting this
Letter ; but when it shall have come to your presence, do ye
write it out, and send it to those [who are] round about you.
But every one that hears and does not take a copy of this Letter,

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 133

|]o •. V=? IL_» |1 : iA ^iQ? . t -i » n »o »I»] • <aa^. 1_J] Jin- lSo^o
}]o . ^ojsj I^^Nr |3o '■ i^oVft U— e P° • 8»2s-» J— icjo \&jJ>Z |_Jmj
)-."-^ j]o ■. a4_» P? jT^i )3o •■ <^f\ 1 -i\Sn> aiZojieoa )Jo : J^a.? cij-sa^
oiZoZj-i |io '. ).11» 2^o? Jioo^ jlo . |ao^i) l^as^o |io : oi^?ll P?
}.*.aic) ,ogi go ^ r |lo . wa»o-.j ai 1 mVin » Po *[". \a±±> ,_»] w»£*ajj
uccuej^o *i2£e •■ |_? m\ -Jo) |^£*| »1i-sl? : k - =a0 : P° l-^r 2 *" P° : v ojm]50

,jio oiJ^? j.ri»\,? ) ill p P : <j— io? o»__*.j wiii. oif— '1 • ) 1j Vi S S^

o\fs\i \ M i~\ * jjoi^j ]]j] j]o : v jlo ols i-n^Z]? |f£u P : >-i\ *Ao\s>

and send it to the cities and the convents and the monasteries
and the monastic orders, judgment shall be upon him therefrom.
And those that believe in this Letter, mercies shall be upon them.
And again I swear to you, brethren and beloved, who are in
every place, No ! by the Great Strength, and No ! by His mighty
and lofty arm, and No ! by the voice of thunders, and No ! by
the swiftness of lightnings, and No ! by the beauty of Seth, and
No ! by the priesthood of Melchizedek, and No ! by the prophets
that have not sinned, and No ! by the humble ones who were not
enticed by luxury, and No ! by the chariots of cherubim, and
No ! by the fasting of the house of Hanania,f and No ! by the
inheritance that Sunday shall disclose, and No ! by the conti-
nence of Joseph, and No ! by the prayers of Moses and of Aaron,
and No ! by the gospel, and No ! by the gospel that the four
evangelists preached, Matthew and Mark and Luke and John,
upon whom the holy church is built, No ! by that hour in which
John the Baptist laid his hand on the head of Our Lord, No ! by

* These words omitted, but supplied in margin, and on an equal
footing with the rest.

f I suppose the companion of Daniel to be meant: see Daniel i. 10-31,

134 I. H. Hall,

l^s^s j ? si ZLsauo^l 13) i-*Ji-=? P*»^o l?<n Mr^l koi^Z] J3 ? . | .NSo

^tSfit p P] )iQi» ". )joi l^rvj) ai^j *' VicuA/? |Xi] t^so . au_» ,aa-Zu]j
. ]ouV . Sn )Vi»9 ^nSrile "•jjci )Zj__^(J aJnSSntlo <ogi *\ ^i .S S

,j_ io ^ Vi> 1?a—^o P? y*M!iNi : i^eoi^o jJ |.'«l't'lo }e,j5 hi ij n 1 9i__s

P >jiSiai£o t^ap si^lo *■ )%s ,—^i P oiioj^s '. Ziyt>-**) |»i *V "\qjui

l^r^j y V 1 i tfta^eo > qmnSn? , Vi\io : ^aiol^j ]&jab>. h—mZo . % n » 1

)m.bkP . »itlo ]?a— J '•]Zi~) )^i^i&^o) Jjs-1 J^so . <n.lic aa» nie "-|?ai

the wood of the cross that bare Our Lord in Jerusalem, No ! by
the sepulchre in which Our Lord was buried, and No ! by the
mystery of the twelve apostles that they preached within the upper
room, No ! by the strength of myriads andf myriads of angels
that serve before him by day and by night — that this Letter was
not written by the finger of man, but this [Letter] was written by
the finger of the living God ; and it was sent to you that ye
might turn yourselves from your evil doings, and from the whore-
dom in which ye are ; and that every one that hears the matter
of this letter, the people, but standing on their feet, may both
hearken to this Letter and entreat mercies from Ood with a pure
heart and with agonizing tears ; and that every one with whom
the Letter is may read in it continually, may read it before men
without delay.

Whosoever does not/ acknowledge that it was sent from our
Lord Jesus Christ, his vineyard shall not bear fruit, and his seed
shall dry up, and his children shall not live, and he is under
curses. And every one that presumes to despise (lit., adds and

* This letter appears to have been intended for a ? , but it is unfin-
ished and unpointed. As it is, it is as given above.

t Probably a slip for ' of ' — extremely easy in the Nestorian script.

The Letter of Holy Sunday. 135

^a]\n'io J-^oi jjaojioojo •. J-a/jojsj (_»cp^ \h*»->oZo ^oioaj] JLnoa^Z

1|JoV| ) *i *-e ) i l i m^ ) :\s\ yaso] 1+&j» ),al -1',-.] ^-ic ^j^si |iooai«
^ o . on mS a^a^&^e^. wn^-o p] )a» - .|;jo | * » « n j__o jjehs ) »1V» ^s
, A « oo <aa 7n\, s ^^Ic |] JViiVip ^Q | , n?\ ^.tji^Jojat^Z? .!»] jjo : )Vii »i

■> -) ■ •! II O] . I Vl l MI O0I JA9 Vl * «\ Qq«lZ)o Oj__D . )V|»\m -j-A-OjJS

despises) [aught] of this Letter, he is guilty therefrom. And
everywhere that the Letter shall be read, let confession and
praise be given to God the Lord of all, who gave to him to do
and keep the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise to His Father, and confession to the Holy Spirit, and
exaltation [to the Son]*, now and in every season, and forever
and ever. Amen.

Ends the Letter that Descended from Heaven upon the Hands
of Mar Athanasius, Patriarch of Rome, the Great.

From the hands of the sinful servant, black of face, the stran-
ger priest Zerwanda, son of the late scribe the son of priest
Warda. I desire and crave in supplication your love as a friend.
Is it fitting, brethren, that you should make mention of the writer
as proud ? No, my Lord. In your prayers in the house of per-
fect holiness, read, and intercede, beloved, with Great Jesus
the Delightsome, that he will forgive the debts of him [who is]
full of corruption. Amen.

* The scribe has omitted these words, doubtless by mere accident.

136 I. H. Hall,

NOTES.

In comparing this recension of the legend with that published
in Vol. XIII. of the Journal, pp. 34 seq., a number of things in the
latter are seen to need emendation. For most of the textual
emendations I am indebted, as often hitherto in many things, to
the kindness of Professor Noldeke. I will mention only the most
salient matters.

In the title, the word -fy° is the Arabic 2LoJ> 'history' or

'narration.' The title, therefore, is not the 'Extremity,' but 'The
Narrative of the Romans.'

That the text is late is shown not only by the above instance,
but, among other things, by the word < n -'»,$ J = Arabic &-SX,.< gt S
' copy.'

Page 38, line 5, r*»^irJ is a misprint for j* 1 ^'^ .
" " " 12, r^'r is a misprint for ^sjAie? .

" 39, " 1, ^Ls^ZfAs (MS.) would be better <aa^. Zjjis .

" 40, " 10, J-»Ja-?o (MS.) would be better J-»-i>jo .

Translation, accordingly, p. 46, line 18, would read 'poor'
or 'miserable,' instead of 'destitute,' and the foot-note would
disappear.

Page 41, line 2, the better emendation of V* nl « N is to \ • * 1 » 1 ,
the scribe having mistaken a nun for a lomad. Translation, p.
46, line 31, read 'Ninevites' for 'Greeks.'

Page 41, line 7, ^oa-Oie ikiojlo should be ,o<k*iio)£vie V° ■ In
the MS. the first part is at the bottom of one page, and the rest
at the top of the next page : a manner of (unmarked) word-divis-
ion which I was not prepared for. Translation, accordingly, p.
46, line 37, 'be steadfast in' instead of 'number the full amount
for.'

Page 41, last line but one, 8i ir > a » \ (MS.) should be corrected
to °i |O t» \ .

Page 42, line 2, ]^a-lo (MS.) would better be Ua-o)o .

Page 43, line 3, v*aio^ja^ is a mistaken reading of the MS.,
which has, though faultily written, >*ai o\v i \ . Translation, p.
•I 8, line 3, for ' exhorters ' read ' words ;' and dele the foot-note.

Page 43, line 8, l*s> l^Po (MS.) should be I ■*■■ l - , m )&— ^c jJo .

Translation, p. 48, lines 8, 9, for ' diseases in full measure hateful,'
read 'incurable diseases.'

The Computation of the Siek. 137

Idem, for ^ ■ S a 1 ? (MS.) read ^ ' ^1 ? . Translation, p. 48,
line 10, for 'swarm' read 'issue' or 'breed.'

Page 44, line 11, ^aoft. iVnX should be emended to wa TVnViN .

Page 45, end of first paragraph. The new text shows that
instead of ' that are life and death to those who behold,' the ren-
dering should be 'that the living and the dead behold (or, look
for).'

Page 45, second paragraph, line 4, in the light of the new text,
needs a comma after 'deacons.'

Page 45, last paragraph. It is evident from the new text that
the passage from ' If ye do not keep the day ' to the end of the
paragraph is probably misplaced, and belongs in another part of
the narrative.

Page 46, line 3. As I ought to have recognized, and as the new
text also demonstrates, the u»a_i]j ^ter) i s no t the Latin ' Heus,'
but the Greek ayios ; just as in modern Greek. For 'Alas ....
holy,' read 'Ayos (or ayios), Ayos, Ayos, that is, Holy, Holy,
Holy.'

Page 46, second paragraph. While the two recensions agree
with reference to the dates of the first and second letters respect-
ively, they differ in regard to the date of this third letter. In
the old text it is A.D. 778, December 25 ; in the new, A.D. 783,
April 24. The difference in date, however, has no bearing that I
can discover upon the verisimilitude of the fable or the age of
the composition.

Page 48, line 4. For ' tread him down,' read ' overtake him.'

THE COMPUTATION OF THE SICK.

From the same manuscript I give the text (along with a
translation) of what appears to be a collection of excerpts relating
to the magic diagnosis of diseases by means of lots or numbers.
As will be seen trom the reading, it is not more brilliant than
other specimens of the divining art, and would be unalterable
in method or result for the same individual, whatever his dis-
ease — unless, as often happens among Orientals, his name
should be changed in the course of his life. The meaning of
the reference to certain monasteries and writings I do not quite
fathom. It may be the authority cited for the diagnostic pre-
vol. xv. 18

138 I. H. Hall,

cept ; or it may be the place to find a written formula, as for
an amulet, charm, or magic medicine.

The composition occupies almost exactly two pages of the
manuscript. The writing is about as good and about as faulty
as the rest of the manuscript, correction being needed here
and there. I have omitted most of the pointing, retaining it
in some spots, especially where I think — or know — that it is
wrong. The interpunction of the words I have retained. The
passages underscored are in red in the manuscript ; a fact
which accounts for the omission of some apparently needful
interpunction. But the Syrian scribes usually considered the
end of a paragraph, or a change of inks, to be sufficient notice
of a pause or stop.

The following are the text and translation :

•> *4 ■> t_J ,ajj *jaa]o •:• alio)? aiVit.o aiVi>' i -in, in
. ) > Vi 4. >. ~ijVinn jJoTjoa )ooi )n*n ,__* >oo*ja ^„, \ v_*-ts ,— » Jo
|ooi ■ iSnn i *k_£ •:• oi'Oi ^>oo avsij _S»so auk,h V Z,j»] ]* * 1.0 )l **-
•:• ] £ * i -i )l « S ; ] h^z+Ls •:• , 1 no-. M |^s 1 jisei •:• Jjonoa

TRANSLATION.

In the name of our Lord I write the computation of the sick ;
to deduce it from the numerical parts (or, lots, sortes).*

Reckon up his namef and the name of his mother,f and divide
by nine.

Now if thy remainder is one, on Sunday arose the diseases, at
sunset. The evil eye has possessed [him] by his head and by his
shoulder and by his neck. Nine days will the diseases last. —
Monastery, Mar Yohanan. Writing, Of the Evil Eye.

* I read v alio , as an almost certain emendation of the incomprehen-
sible <aio .
t That is, add up the numerical values of the letters.

The Computation of the Sick.

^o \&la 01^ ui^a ,_^so gi nS ,-ioo oubjj ,_Lco oi^t _io ^ ,-u
\s; ]&^u&^ uoo.b»aso a«oj^u2 gi|tetriS «• oifS&lo «■ «Va-i *w * ]at3»,

ws]o )ViiSnii }i»y£>o *»aio£u.] ) a * n&^Z 5ca.*ss «• ^ ^i ai°> ]iJi»Z Jo
•:• w : , a S | MtSne j^ios ) iiffllo ^aiai^ V_a_l 1?J~*-? ?]] • ) *'"~i>
•:• ) 1 ■ S a .; jijj ±j*i r M,o ■:■ ]^/'i ^jt,i yojjs ,_m •> ^oicjjio . Vi |ft t\"il^s
^jio? Ii-aii. JioMo ^eai. r . VtJ LB uce; , — ., n ■> ^S g t S ♦ jiiaB? \2*» wfcj ,—uo
•> o_i * oiii, ]am] ws]o fl&^aZ jikooj | n\ sls )^ttt]o oia—S *■*-«■* - x «*v

: a^« Cll t S ia-?| |£v£i*2ja : a^sUe . iSnaj

But if thy remainder be two, it was on Monday, at the new-
moon, [that] an infirmity (or, an infirmity-producer) caught him
by his loins and by his belly and by his heart and by his whole
body. The sicknesses are from God. Three days will he be sick.
— Monastery, Peter and Paul. Writing, Of Every Sort.

And if thy remainder be three, on Tuesday arose the infirmities
(or, infirmity-producers), a hot and also a dry one. The air of
demons has fallen upon him. Therefore let him wash in water,
and make an ointment, [and] three lampwicks from his clothes.
Put one at the top of the head, and one at the top of the right
arm, and one at the top of the left arm ; while they are yet burn-
ing, pulverize their ashes and throw dust in the midst of it, and
wash [him] with it alone [at] a pure place, and also make [him]
drink it. Sixteen days will he be sick. — Monastery of Mar
'Abdtsho'. Writing, I will lift up mine eyes to the Hills.

* These two underscored words have evidently been transposed by the
scribe. They belong just before the four last words of the paragraph.
Also, the word | j-ioa^ is evidently to be supplied before them.

f Bead li^sj , as a subsequent passage shows us to be necessary.

140 I. H. Hall.

•fOU : oUls f-M.] )?]—**■> Ml j-i*ns^i] ^ojls ^-^. ^i t>°i Jia>) Jo

foNijSn _io poijos ]ooi la^a&^i. >ca-«a •:• ^. -ijus ) tVi. Jo
]?J-*<? ]— — oj ws]o uinoli> VaJ ]a-oj '•>]] ioiX? ot.Sn.* |$_o 13j ]£wI|j_j»

'. ]&^aso] JJo^JiZ? Jioj — iD .• ]a_o aia iu.|j
J-m^j Zn S . So poijoa ]ooi jiwsoji. ^&i£ •:• <) S . » * t^ |£u*< Jo
Jlr" — iVin ri ^-o^ Aasoi st-i^o , Sno . si n\ __leo ai^b __lo U»^-*
Zj__S) ]& a it— a >o__.jio v^Zj—io jjSmS oifSiio — t^ea-i •:■ wa- •. |ia

•:• ]iavw

And if thy remainder be four, on Wednesday the air of a
demon took hold of him. He passed through water without call-
ing upon the name of the living God. It is also a bad spirit.
Let him give alms to the fatherless. Thirteen [days] will he be
sick. — Monastery, Mar Sha'ita. Writing, Of a Bad Spirit.

And if thy remainder be five, on Thursday arose the disease,
from over-eating (lit., from abundant meats) without calling on
the name of God. The air of the devils has fallen upon him, and
also a spirit of demons is in him. Sixteen days will he be sick. —
Monastery, Mar Sargls (i. e. Sergius). Writing, Of him in whom
are Devils, from the Blood of a Black [adj. feminine] Cock.

And if thy remainder be six, on Friday arose the disease, from
the presence of an infirmity-producing smell, in his head and in
his heart and in his breast. It turned back two degrees, requir-
ing an amulet. Twelve days will he be sick. — Monastery, My
Lady Maryam (i. e. Mary). Writing, Of the daughter of the
Moon.

The Computation of the Sick. 141

*»&—•] |£^Z? ^8ia\S 7\V.q1 m-A.i ,_loo . ain\ ,-ioo *ai?as — So |ijio
]i^.Z ,__io |^o . i'jcuao &-LS ).So>> ,—ieo •. ]2U.?o| |S-ia. ,__io |j-a^
.on-a j umlo b « * | -i .pa l » i- ja ^jr—oo . }, i «o 2w4-»^? j^ioo jiaisio
]2ta^&s ■"'•*"* ^i V IjVinS sifS&ls i.i'tai •:• | a •:• )&>t£» IZujOfS

^—io . j„ » «ri lop» ]j — 1> }jOA.[»'poj) feaj-s ^_X ^i *»q )«1So^ Jo

^jio faVnS : oi-fSkie ^.jioa* : ^tymS : ctujjs ""r-vsf <n^s JJ-iMoj |/n mSa

. ]& « fcg : oi; )&a^&a \)^j9^u

^oioNs \aJ ^-o?'1? '11 lA-tS> iA-ooaai lui |oi "*■ * uLioA< <*_&__•] j]

And if thy remainder be seven, Saturday there fell upon him
the fear of Zuchail, an infirmity (or, producing infirmity) in his
trunk and in his heart and in his head. Fright has fallen upon
him. Bring dust from seven ways, and from seven graves, and
water from three fountains, and water from beneath a mill, and
call over their heads Barshith ; and let him wash with them in a
pure place. Twenty-one days will he be sick.— Monastery, Mar
Giwargis (i. e. George). Writing, Of Fear and Quaking.

And if thy remainder be eight, on Wednesday he saw an evil
vision. From a stroke of Satan is all his body sick. Twenty
days will he be sick. — Monastery, Chazqfel (i. e. Ezekiel). Writ-
ing, Of an Evil Spirit.

And if thy remainder be nine, [on] Friday he sat upon a heapf of
filth or upon a massf [of it]. He did not bring the name of God

* Bead aiiac .

1 1 am uncertain about the meaning of this word.

142 I. H. Hall,

beneath the emptying* of the house. The air of Zardok has
fallen upon him. Nineteen days will he be sick. — Monastery,
Quryaq&s (i. e. Cyriaeus). Writing, He sitteth in the Secret
Places. Amen.

* I am uncertain about the meaning of this word.